ASPEN, Colo.—Garfield County commissioners are saying no to the recreational marijuana industry, which could force future recreational marijuana grow sites to move to municipalities like Carbondale, Glenwood Springs and New Castle, which have signaled that they will allow those businesses.

The ban will prevent 10 current medical marijuana growers from converting their businesses to supply the recreational market, the Aspen Daily News reported Tuesday (http://tinyurl.com/k9n85v8).

The ban comes in spite of a vote by 57 percent of Garfield County residents in favor of Amendment 64, the statewide initiative passed in November 2012 that legalized the use, cultivation and sale of limited quantities of marijuana for recreational purposes among those 21 or older.

“The board finds the operation of marijuana establishments provided for in Amendment 64 presents an immediate threat to the public health, safety and welfare by making marijuana more readily available in the community and facilitating its recreational use,” the ordinance states.

The ordinance also points out that Amendment 64 violates federal law, which classifies marijuana as an illegal drug.

Commissioner Mike Samson said pot legalization poses a threat to young people in the county. As a former administrator and teacher at Rifle High School, he said, “I saw the dangers and the terrible consequences of alcohol and drug use. My friends and foes alike assure me that marijuana use is not good for young people.”

Before casting the dissenting vote, Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said that despite his own opposition to Amendment 64 he couldn’t defy Garfield County voters.

“This is a very strong indication from our voters on how they want us to move forward,” he said of the Amendment 64 vote tally. “I feel that because of that vote I need to take a different look at this.”

According to a report from the nonprofit group Colorado Counties, Inc., 24 Colorado counties have enacted ordinances banning the recreational sales and cultivation of marijuana, while nine have voted to allow them, two have passed temporary moratoriums and 29 counties haven’t yet finalized their rules.

Anyone caught violating the Garfield County ban on recreational pot businesses will pay a fine of $1,000 per day until their business is shut down.

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